Brake beam



Oct. 14, 1952 c. K. STILLWAGONI BRAKE BEAM Filed Jan. 21, 1950 Oct. 14, 1952 c. K. STILLWAGON 2,613,767

' BRAKE BEAM Filed Jan. 21, 1950 '2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 mm @W W 4 Patented Oct. 14, 1952 BRAKE BEAM Charles StillWagon, Johnstown, Pa., assignor to Davis Brake Beam Company, Johnstown, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 21, 1950, Serial No. 139,874

providesuch a brake beam in which the brake heads are interchangeable so that they can be mounted on either end of the truss, iIl' WhlCh the heads are detachably connected to the truss by means of spring keys, and in which provision is made for limited movement between the heads and truss.

In accordance with this invention, a brake beam truss has a compression member thathas a horizontal bar-like body provided integrally along its front edge with vertical flanges extending above and below it. The tension rod of the truss has end portions extending centrally along the front of the end portions of the compression membenwith which they are integral. Brake heads are mounted on the opposite ends of the truss. For this purpose, each brake head is pro- 7 Claims. (c1. 188219.6)

vided with a recess having the general shape of the'ends of the truss for receiving one of those ends. Preferably, the recess extends entirely through the head so that the head can be mounted on either end of the truss. The ends of the truss within the brake head recesses are provided with rearwardly extending depressions, and the recess walls have projections extending back into the depressions to hold the heads against movement lengthwise of the truss. The depressions may be in the form of notches cut in the flanges of the compression member or in the front of the tension rod, but most suitably in all three. The back walls of the recesses are spaced from the back of the truss a distance greater than the distance the projections extend into the depressions, so that the heads can be slipped over the ends of the truss. The heads are then held against the front of the truss, with the projections extending into the truss depressions, by means of spring keys behind the truss which extend lengthwise of it through the brake head recesses in which they are compressed between the heads and compression member of the truss. In one form of the invention the keys engage the back of the compression member flanges, while in another form they are placed behind the body of the compression member.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a fragmentary plan view of one end of my brake beam; Fig.' 2 is a vertical section taken on the line II--II of Fig/1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1; and Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary views, corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, of a modification. .Referring toFigs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the truss of the brake beam is the well-known 2 one-piece or'solid truss in which a bar, which in cross section is roughly in the form of a cross with one of the arms circular, is slit lengthwise between its ends to form a compression member that has a substantially horizontal bar-like body I provided along its front edge with vertical flanges 2 extending above and below it to'form a T-section. This part of the slit bar-is upset and shortened, allowing the other part to be moved forward away from the center of the compres sion member to form the tension rod 3, with the opposite end portions of the rod remaining in-'- tegrally connected to the front of the compression member. The usual strut (not shown) spaces the center of the tension rod from the center of the compressionmember. Only one end of this truss is shown, but it will be understood that the other end has the same appearance and construction. I r

The brake head on each end of the truss has the usual shoe-supporting portion 5 connected by vertical webs 6 and I to a central body portion 8. The body portion is hollow or recessed to receive an end of the truss. The recess 9 has the same general shape as the end of the truss. To permit the brake head to be used on either end of the beam, the recess extends entirely through the head and is the same size and shape at both ends. The end of the truss within the recess is provided with one or more rearwardly extending depressions or notches. Preferably, the front of the tension rod in the brake head recess is provided with at least one notch *H which receives a projection l2 on the front wall of the recess. By locating the projection midway between the ends of the recess, the head can be mounted on either end of a truss in which the notches are located the same distance from the adjacent ends of the truss. The interfitting projection and notch prevent the head from moving lengthwise of the truss and slipping off the end of it. It is also preferred that both the upper and lower flanges 2 of the compression member inside the brake head be provided with rearwardly extending depressions. to form them is to punch rectangular notches I3 in the flanges, extending vertically from their outer edges and entirely through the flanges horizontally. One upper notch and one lower notch are sufficient. The front wall of the brake head recess is provided with projections l4 that extend into these notches and help retain the head in position on the truss. The flange notches and the mating projections are disposed in the same central vertical plane of the brake head as the notch H in the tension rod, and for the same reason.

In order that brake head projections I2 and] 4 will not prevent the brake head from being slipped over the end of the truss and moved inward 'un- A convenient way' mits the head to be moved forward on the truss far enough for the projections to emerge com. pletely from the notches so that the head can be slid lengthwise of the truss. To hold the head in its rear position, with theprojections in the notches, a pair of spring keys I6 are inserted in recess 9 behind the truss. Each key is bowed lengthwise and is driven horizontally inward through the recess in the space between the back of one of the flanges 2 and the brake head. The inner end of each key is provided with an offset portion I! near its inner end to keep it from working out of position. The central portion of the forwardly bowed key projects slightly into the flange notch l3 in front of it and bears against/the sharp side edges of that notch. The engagement of the key with those edges of the notch also helps to hold the key in position. The space occupied by each key may be made a little wider than the rest-of the space between the back of the compression member and brake head so as to form a horizontal shoulder l8 that will hold the key near the outer edge of the adjoining flange 2. To keepthe brake head from extending too far behind the truss, the space between the body I of the compression member and the back of the recess 9 is formed by cutting along notch l9 in the, back of the compression member body. The brake head can be removed from the truss simply by driving out the keys, then moving the head forward to remove the projections from the truss notches, and then sliding the head sideways off the end of the truss.

The spring keys and the interfitting projections and notches hold the brake heads on'the truss firmly enough for braking purposes. Nevertheless, the resiliency of the keys allows the. heads to be moved to a certain extent relative to the truss to compensate for wear and to reduce the detrimental effects of shock and vibration on the beam which are more pronounced when the heads and truss are connected together rigidly.

i, In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the brake head 2| is provided with a. recess 22 of the same general shape as the end of the truss which it receives. The flanges 23 of the compression member of the truss are provided with notches 2 3 for receiving projections 26 in the head, and tension rod 21 has a notch 28 in its front for receiving head projection 29. When thebrake head engages the front of the truss, the back wall of its recess 22 is spaced from the back of the compression member a distance greater than the distance that the projections extend into the notches.

. Thebrake head is held in this position by a single spring key 3| which, in this case, is compressed between the back of the bar-like body 32 of the compression member and the brake head. The space through which the key extends preferably is wider than necessary for removing the projections from the notches, so that the key can have more bow to it than otherwise would be the case. The key space is formed by cutting along-notch 33 in the back of the compression member body. The key is held in place by an offset portion 34 which hooks over the inner edge of the brake head.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

1 I claim:

1. A brake beam comprising a compression member having a substantially horizontal barlike body provided integrally along its front edge with vertical flanges extending above and below it, a tension rod having end portions extending centrally along the front of the end portions of the compression member and integral therewith to form a truss, brake heads provided with recesses having the general shape of the ends of the truss for receiving those ends, the ends of the truss within the recesses being provided with rearw'ardlyv extending depressions, the brake head recess walls in front of said depressions having projectionsextending into the depressions to hold the heads against movement lengthwise of the. truss; the back of said bar-like body in each recess being provided with a notch extending the full width of the recess to space the back walls of said recesses from the back of the truss a distance greater than the distance said projections extend into the depressions, the brake heads being movable forward on the truss to remove said projections from the depressions, and spring keys behind the truss extending lengthwise thereof through the brake head recesses in which they are compressed between the heads and compression member for holding the heads back against the front of the truss, each key projecting from the opposite sides of the adjoining brake head and having bent end portions to hold the key in place.

2. A brake beam comprising a compression member having a substantially horizontal barlike body provided integrally along its front edge with vertical flanges extending above and below it, a tension rod having end portions extending centrally along the front of the end portions of the compression member and integral therewith to form a truss, brake heads provided with recesses having the general shape of the ends of the truss for receiving those ends, said flanges inside said recesses being provided with notches, the brake head recess walls in front of said notches having projections extending into the notches to hold the heads against movement lengthwise of the truss, the back walls of said recesses being spaced from the back of the truss a distance greater than the distance said projections extend into the notches, the brake heads being movable forward on the truss to remove said projections from the notches, and'sprlng keys behind the truss extending lengthwise thereof through the spaces between said flanges and the back wall of each brake head recess for holding the heads back against the front of the truss.

3. A break beam comprising a compression member having a, substantially horizontal barlike body provided integrally along. its front edge with vertical flanges extending above and below it, a tension rod having end portions extending centrally along the front of the end portions of the compression member and integral therewith to form a truss, brake heads provided with recesses having the general shape of the ends of the truss for receiving those ends, the

front of the end portions of the tension rod inside said recesses being provided with rearwardly extending notches, the brake head recess walls in front of said notches having projections extending into the notches to hold the heads against movement lengthwise of the truss. the back walls of said recesses'beingspaced from the back of the truss a distance slightly greater than the distance said projections extend into the notches, the brake heads being movable forward head back against the front of the truss, the opposite ends of each key projecting from said recess and being bent to hold the key in place.

6. A brake beam comprising a compression member having a substantially horizontal barlike body provided integrally along its front edge with vertical flanges extending above and below i it, a tension rod having end portions extending centrally along the front of the end portions of the compression member and integral therewith to form a truss, brake heads provide with recesses it, a tension rod having end portions extending centrally along the front of the end portions of the compression member and integral therewith to form a truss, brake. heads provided with recesses having the general shape of the ends of the truss for receiving those ends, said flanges inside said recesses being provided with vertical notches extending through them from front to back, the'front of the end portions of the tension rod inside saidrecesses being provided with 'rearwardly extending notches, the brake head recess walls in front of said notches having projections extending into the notches to hold the heads against movement lengthwise of the truss, the back of said bar-like body in each recess being provided with a notch extending the full width of the recess to space the back walls of said recesses from the back of the truss a dis tance slightly. greater than the distance said projections extend into the notches, the brake heads being movable forward on the truss to remove said projections from the notches, and a pair of spring keys extending lengthwise of the truss through the spaces between said flanges and the back wall of each brake head recess in which they are compressed between the heads and flanges for holding the heads back against the front of the truss. I

5; A brake beam comprising a compression member having a substantially horizontalbarlike body provided integrally along its front edge with vertical flanges extending above and below it, a tension rod having end portions extending centrally along the front of the end portions of the compression member and integral therewith to form a truss, brake heads provided with recesses having the general shape of the ends of the truss for receiving those ends, the ends of the truss within the recesses being provided with rearwardly extending depressions, the brake head recess walls in front of said depressions having projections extends into the depressions to hold the heads against movement lengthwise of the truss, the back of said bar-like body in each recess being provided with a notch extending the full width of the recess to space the back walls of said recesses from the back of the truss a distance greater than the distance said projections extend into the depressions, the brake heads being movable forward on the truss to remove said projections from the depressions, and a horizontal spring key extending entirely through each brake head recess between the notched back of said compression member body and the head and compressed between them to hold the having the general shape of the ends of the truss for receiving those ends, said flanges inside said recesses being provided with vertical notches extending through them from front to back, the brake head recess walls in front of said notches having projections extending into the notches to hold the heads against movement lengthwise of the truss, the back walls of said recesses being spaced from the back of the truss a distance slightly greater than the distance said projections extend into the notches, the brake heads being movable forward on the truss to remove said projections from the notches, and forwardly bowed removable spring keys behind the truss,

extending lengthwise thereof through the brake head recesses in which they are compressed between the heads and said flanges to hold the heads backagainst the front of the truss, said keys extending across said notches'and engaging the rear edges of said notches and projectingfor ward into thenotches slightly.

7. A brake beam comprising a compression member having a substantially horizontal barlike body provided integrally along its front edge with'vertical flanges extending above and below it, a tension rod having end portions extending centrally along the front of the end portions of the compression member ,and integral therewith to form a truss, brake heads provided with recesses having the general shape of the ends of the truss for receiving those ends, said flanges inside said recesses being provided with notches, the brake head recess Walls in front of said notches having projections extending into the notches to hold the heads against movement lengthwise of the truss, the back walls of said recesses being spaced from the back of the truss a distance slightly greater than the distance said projections extend into the notches, the brake heads being movable forward on the truss to remove said projections from the notches, and spring keys behind the truss extending lengthwise thereof through the spaces between said flanges and the'back wall of each brake head recess for holding the heads back against the front of the truss, said key-receiving spaces being wider than the space between said bar-like body and the back wall of each brake head recess to form horizontal shoulders spacing the keys from said body.- i CHARLES K. STILLWAJGON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Busch 1 Jan. 10, 1950 

